Machine for paring curls of hat-brims.



PATBNTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

G. E. HUNTER. MACHINE FOR PARING GURLS OF HAT BRIMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR BY 2 3 bJLLM/m7 ATTORNEY WITNESSES;

No 737,233. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

G. E. HUNTER, MACHINE FOR PARING OURLS. 0 F HAT BRIMS APPLICATION FILED ABR, 4;,,11903.

HQ MQDEL 4 SHEETS-$11331 3.

WlTNESSES: INVENTOR No. 737,933. PATBNTED SEPT. 1, 1903.

' G. B. HUNTER, MAGHINE FOR PARING GURLS OP HAT BRIMS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1903. NO MODEL. 4 BHBETS-SHEBT 4.

' citizen of theUnited States, residing at New- UNTTED STATES Patented September 1, 1903.

PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE E. HUNTER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MINNE S. CORNELL AND GORDON DUNN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR PARING CURLSOF HAT-BRIMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,933, dated September 1, 1903.

Application filed April 4, 1903. Serial No. 151,020. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. HUNTER, a

ark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Paring the Curls of Hat-Brims, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for paring the curls on the brims of hard fur hatssuch as those called derby hats, for example.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate 'an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the machine. The main portion is in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation, but showing the upright shaft turned one-half way around as compared with Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the parer, its carriage, and its counterbalance. Fig. 4 is substantially a plan, the crown of the hat being broken away to show the expander and the top of the frame 19 also broken away. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan, the plane of the section being indicated by line in Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a transverse and longitudinal section of the pattern. Fig. 8 shows the cutter in detail, enlarged. Fig. 9 is an axial section showing the means for operating the expander. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the expander, showing it on a large scale distended. Fig. 11 is a similar View with the operating-plate omitted. Fig. 12 is an under side view of the operating-plate.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a machine in which the hat is set on an expander carried on the upper end of an upright shaft. The expander is distended, so as to hold the hat firmly, and the shaft makes one revolution or rotation. The paring is done by a rotary cutter which is driven by power, and it is made to traverse an elliptical path corresponding to the shape of the hat-brim by means of a pattern on the shaft acting on the movable carriage in which the rotary cutter is mounted. The cutter is movable up and down to accommodate itself to the curl at the side of the brim, if there be any, and the carriage is movable or adjustable up and down, so as to cause the roller on the carriage-to bear on the pattern at different levels. The pattern is so beveled that by shifting the bearing-roller up or down the proportions of the ellipse traversed by the cutter may be varied. The machine may be operated by hand or power.

As herein shown, the machine is mounted on a table or bench A.

1 is the frame of the machine, which may be of metal and of any desired form. In this frame is rotatively mounted an upright shaft 2, which is driven from a shaft 3 through miter-gears 4. The shaft 3 is driven or may be driven from any source of power through a belt on a pulley 5 on the shaft. It will be understood that the machine will be by preference provided with a well-known clutch device which when the machine is set in motion permits the upright shaft 2 to make but one complete revolution and then stop.

As such devices are common in machines and as such a device is not absolutely essential to this invention, it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate it in the drawings.

On the upright shaft 2, which is tubular, is secured an expander 6 to hold the hat H, which is being pared. This expander is in general a well-known device, and, as herein shown, it is operated by means of a shaft 7, extending down through the hollow of the tubular shaft 2 and provided with-a crank or hand-wheel 7 on its lower end. It is herein provided with braces 6 to support the curl of the brim. This expander 6 and the means for operating it is seen more in detail in Figs. 9 to 12. In these views, is a base plate carried by the shaft 2 and provided with fixed guides 31, between which play the radial arms 32. These arms have teeth 33 on their upper surface, and four of them carry the braces 6. To efiect the expansion and contraction, there is an operating-plate 34, secured to the shaft 7 and turning with it, and this plate has a spiral thread 35, (see Fig. 12,) which engages the teeth on the arms 32. A cover-plate 36 is secured to the guides 31.

On the upright shaft is mounted non-rotatively a device 8, which is called a pattern.

This pattern will be by preference of metal and hollow, as indicated in the sectional views Figs. 6 and 7. When seen in plan, Fig. 5, it has an elliptical form or shape corresponding exactly to the outline of a hatbrim where the latter is seen in plan, and in order that it may be employed in paring hats the brims of which vary in their elliptical proportions the pattern has one elliptical proportion at its base and another elliptical proportion atits top, and-the sides are sloped or inclined at 8, as shown.

Mounted to swing radially about the shaft 2 in a horizontal plane is an arm 9. Normally or when the machine is being operated by power the arm 9 will be secured to the frame 1 bya screw 10, for example. Carried bythe arm 9 is spring casing and bearing 11,

supported on an upright stem 12, secured to the arm 9, as will be hereinafter explained. In this spring-casing is slidably mounted a base-bar 13, carrying at one end by preference a small roller 14, which bears on the lateral face of the pattern 8. Within the casing 11 is a spring 15, which abuts against a collar 16 on the bar 13 and keeps the roller 14 always pressed up elastically against the pattern; On the bar 13 is a post 17, to which is secured adjustably a carriage 18 through a nut 17 and a slot 18in the carriage. This carriagel8 moves with the bar 13, and on its end next to the hat it carries an upright frame 19, in which is mounted to slide vertically, or up and down, a block 20, in which is rotatively mounted the shaft 21 of the rotary cutter 22. The shaft 21 is rotated from any source of poweras an electric motor, for examplethrough the medium of a flexible shaft 23. As such motors are well known and can be purchased from any dealer and the flexible shaft is a well-known device, it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate this driving means in detail. The cutter 22 will be by preference constructed as indicated in Fig. 8, which represents it provided with a cutting edge a and a bearing-surface b to rest on the hat-brim.

The stem 12 and-all that it carries may be raised or lowered by the device seen in section in Fig. 1. This stem 12 is square at its upper part, and it plays through a square aperture in the arm 9. At its lower end 12 it is screw-threaded, and this portion engages a collared nut 24-. This nut, as herein shown, is in the nature of a hollow or tubular handle, which is rotatable and collared at its upper end in a keeper-plate 25, secured to the under side of the arm 9. This is a convenient and neat device for effecting the adjustment up or down of the bearing-roller 14, so as to cause it to hear at any desired level on the pattern 8; but other adjusting means may be substituted for this. The stem 12 is preferably square or angular to prevent it from turning; but obviously any equivalent .it may be omitted, if preferred.

meansas a spline, for examplemay be employed to keep it from turning. The roller 14 is only the ordinary antifriction-bowl, and It is only important that the end of the base-bar 18 shall bear either directly or through a roller on the pattern 8.

As the cutter 22 Will usually have considerable up and down movement in goingaround the brim Bof the hat (compare its position in Figs. 1 and 2,) the shaft 21 of the cutter is mounted in the block 20, and the latter is slidably mounted in the frame 19. This is best seen, perhaps, in Fig. 3. The cutter, its shaft, the block, and the flexible drivingshaft will have considerable weight, and as the cutter is not intended to bear very heavily on the hat-brim in cutting it is preferred to counterbalance the weight wholly or in part by the means new to be described.

Wires or cords 26, connected to the block 20, pass over pulleys 27in the frame 19 and carry weights 28, which are guided and steadied on upright guide wires or rods 29. In Figs. 3 and-4 the frame 19 is seen partly in section or broken away to show this construction.

The operation is as follows: The workman places the hat 'on the expander 6 and by means of the hand-wheel 7*, Fig. 1, sets the expander snugly in the hat, so as to hold the latter firmly. He then adjusts the cutter in position on the hat-brim and sets it in motion. Then he sets the shaft 2 in motion, and the hat is rather slowly rotated. In moving under the cutter the curl will be pared to the proper shape, the pattern 8 moving the cutter gradually toward or from the shaft 2 to conform to the proper elliptical contour of the brim. The sliding of the block 20 up or down in the frame 19 permits the cutter to rise and fall with the vertical curvature of the hat-brim.

If it be desired to vary the proportions of the elliptical contour of the hat-brim, the bar 18 is raised or lowered, so as to hear at a higher or lower pointv on the pattern 8.

The arm 9 has a snug fit on the shaft 2 and may be swung radially about the same when set free by removing the screw 10, and it will be apparent that a hat may be pared when for any reason the shaft 2 is not running by carrying the arm 9 and the mechanism carried by it about the said shaft.

As before stated, the machine will be provided by preference with a clutch device, which will automatically arrest the rotation of the shaft 2 when it shall have made one complete rotation.

This invention is not limited to the specfic and known features of construction herein shown, as these may obviously be substituted for other devices adapted to effect the same results.

It will be understood that this machine is designed for paring the curled brim of the hat in order to bring it accurately to the size and proportion required before binding and not for trimming the flat brim before curling. For this latter purpose two rotary cutters, one above and one below the brim, have been employed, and these have been raised and lowered in a positive manner to conform the cut ters to the rake of the flat brim. In this machine only an upper cutter can be used, with a support on the curled brim to limit the depth of the cut, and the cutter rises and falls by gravity, a part of the weight being counterbalanced. This is rendered necessary by the curling of the brim.

The braces 6 (seen in Figs. 1 and 2) extend out from the base of the expander and take under the brim to support it'at front, back, and sides. This is a new feature on an ex pander.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. Amachineforthe purpose specified,comprising an upright shaft, expander at the top of said shaft for entering and holding a hat thereon for paring, a pattern fixed on said shaft, said pattern having the contour desired for the hat-brim, a rotating cutter for paring the curl, said cutter being situated above the brim and having a circumferential bearingsurface to rest on the brim, means for carrying said cutter, and means between the cutter and said pattern for moving the cutter radially with respect to the upright shaft through the medium of said pattern.

2. Amachineforthepurposespecified,comprising an upright shaft, a holder for the hat on the upper end of said shaft, a pattern fixed on the shaft below the hat-holder, said pattern being of elliptical form in plan with sloping sides and upright end faces, and having elliptical contours which vary in proportion at different levels, a rotating cutter for paring the curl, said cutter being above the brim and having a circumferential bearingsurface to rest on the brim, a carriage in which the cutter is mounted, an arm supporting said carriage, means for adjusting the carriage up and down and means between the carriage and the pattern whereby the latter moves the carriage radially with reference to the axis of the pattern.

3. Amachineforthepurposespecified,comprising an upright shaft and means for rotating it, a holder for the hat at the top of the shaft, a pattern fixed on the shaft, a single rotating cutter for paring the curl, said cutter having a circumferential bearingsurface to rest on the brim, a support for the cutter and its carriage, the spring-casing 11, mounted adjustably on said support, the base-bar 13, mounted slidably in said casing, a roller on the said bar which bears on the pattern, a spring in said casing which keeps said roller pressed up elastically to the pattern, and the carriage of the cutter, mounted on said basebar.

4. A machine for the purpose specified,comprising an upright, rotatable shaft, a holder for the hat mounted on said shaft, a pattern fixed on said shaft, a slidable base-bar carrying a roller to bear on the pattern, the said roller and a spring which keeps it pressed up elastically to the pattern, a carriage mounted on said base-bar and provided with an up- .right frame, a counterbalanced block slidable in said frame, the single cutter, above the hat-brim and having a circumferential bearing-surface to rest upon the brim exterior to the cut, and the shaft of the cutter rotatable in said block.

5. A machine for the purpose specified, having means for holding and rotating the hat, a movable cutter-carriage, means for moving said carriage toward and from the axis about which the hat turns, the rotating cutter movable up and down in its carriage and having a surface which rests on the hat-brim, whereby the cutter is caused to conform to the shape or curl of the hat, and means for par tially counterbalancing the cutter and its mountings. Y

6. A machine for the purpose specified, comprising a rotatable holder for the hat, single rotating cutter for paring the curl of the hat as it turns, said cutter having a circumferential bearing-surface to rest on the hat-brim and regulate the depth of cut, and automatic means for moving said cutter radially with respect to the axis of the hat-holder, whereby the desired contour is imparted to the hatbrim.

7. A machine for the purpose specified, comprising an upright, rotating holder for the hat, a single, gravity-depressed, rotating cutter mounted in bearings capable of movement up and down, the said bearings, and automatic means for moving said cutter radially with respect to the axis of the hat, whereby the cutter pares the curl ofthe hat to the contour desired.

8. A machine for paring the curls of hats, having an upright, rotating holder for the hat, a rotating cutter for effecting the paring, said cutter having a circumferential cutting edge and a bearing-surface, as specified, and automatic means for moving said cutter radially with respect to the axis of the hat, as set forth.

9. In a machine for paring the curls of hats, the upright hollow shaft 2, means for rotating it, the expander 6 on said shaft for holding the hat, a shaft for operating the expander extending through the hollow of said shaft, the pattern 8, on said shaft, the supporting arm 9,'the spring casing and guide 11, mounted adjustably on said arm, the base-bar 13 mounted slidably in said casing, the spring in the casing adapted to press the base-bar ICC up elastically to the pattern, the carriage 18,

mounted on the base-bar, the frame 19 on said carriage, the block 20 slidable in said frame, the cutter and its shaft, the latter r0- 5 tatively mounted in said block, and means for counterbalancing the Weight of the said block, cutter and shaft.

10. In a machine for the purpose specified,

the combination with the upright shaft, and

lo a rotating cutter for paring the curl, of an expander having flat base provided with a plurality of curved braces 6 to take under and support the brim and our].

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 3d day of April, 1903, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. HUNTER.

\Vituesses:

HENRY CONNETT, PETER A. Ross. 

